Utilizing an expansive force.



H. A. HUMPHREY & W. J. RUSDELL.

UTILIZING AN EXPANSIVE FORCE.

APPLICATION FILED MAYI6. I912.

Patented July 9, 1918.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

WITESSES INVENTOE'S W a/myfy a /mew M/fifl m. ATTORNEY H. A. HUMPHREY & W. J. RUSDELL.

UTILIZING AN EXPANSIVE FORCE.

APPLICATION FILED MAYl6| I912.

Patented July 9, 1918.

SHEET 2.

2 SHEETS jaw/11 01" Mu d r drdZM/w W M HERBERT ALFRED HUMPHREY, OF LONDON, AND WILLIAM J OSEPH RUSDELL, OF

DUDLEY, ENGLAND, ASSIGNORS TO HUMPHREY GAS PUMP COMPANY, A CORPO- RATION OF NEW YORK.

UTILIZING AN EXPANSIVE FORCE.

emme.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 16, 1912. Serial No. 697,792.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, HERBERT ALFRED HUMPHREY, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing in London, England, and WILLIAM JOSEPH RUSDELL, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing in Dudley, WVorcester, England, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Utilizing an Expansive Force, of which the .following is a specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in utilizing an expansive force. Our object .is to utilize the expansive force of a com pressed ignited combustible charge to compress and deliver an elastic fluid. The invention comprises improved means for utilizing the momentum of a reciprocating solid body, actuated by said expansive force, in compressing the elastic fluid, in delivering said compressed elastic fluid, also in introducing fresh combustible charges. The energy stored by said reciprocating body or bodies may be utilized for controlling said reciprocations.

Our invention also comprises the use of a solid body or solid bodies linked together in connection with liquid body or bodies, which are reciprocated together to compress elastic fluid or otherwise store energy, which stored energy may be utilized in a number of ways including the controlling or affecting the efliciency of operation of the apparatus.

Referring to the drawings, which illustrate' diagrammatically merely by ;way of example, apparatus suitable for effecting or realizing our invention Figure 1 is a vertical section of a simple form of compressor having a combustion chamber, a play pipe and a compression chamber with suitable inlets and exits and a solid piston adapted to reciprocate in the p y p p r Fig. 1 is a similar view showing the compression chamber end of the apparatus with a supplemental connected piston and a second compression chamber.

Fig. 2 is a similar view of a modified form showing pistons of different diameters.

Fig. piston disconnected.

' Fig. 3"- is a similar'view showlng a dashpot control for'the disconnected piston.

Fig. 4 is a similar view with modificatlons 1s a slmilar view showing secondshowing second piston provided with a showing means for compressing the elastic cushion in two stages.

Fig. 7 is a similar view showing modifications of apparatus shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a similar view showing apparatussuitable' for exhausting elastic fluid V or pumping elastic fluid from a lower pressure than atmosphere to atmospheric pressure.

Similar numerals refer to similar part throughout the several views.

Fig. 1 represents a very simple form of an internal combustion pump in which 1 is the combustion chamber and 2 a solid reciproeating mass, in this case moving as a piston in a cylinder or play pipe 3 and acting directly upon elastic fluid to be compressed in chamber 9. .5 is the inlet for elastic fluid communicating with the supply valve 6 and portv 10. 7'is the outlet through which the compressed elastic fluid is delivered, communicating with the delivery valve 8. and port 11. The ports 10 and 11 are so arranged that when the piston 2 has moved a certain distance to the right the ports are covered by the piston and the further delivery of compressed elastic fluid prevented. The operation is as follows :On ignition of the compressed combustible charge in the combustion chamber 1, piston 2 is forced toward the right and acquires momentum, and elastic fluid which fills the space to the right of the piston is first compressed to the pres sure at Which the delivery valve 8 opens and is then delivered. Depending chiefly upon the distance of the port 11 from the end 4 of piston 2 when ignition occurred, and also upon the pressure of delivery and the amount of energy produced by the expansion of the combustible charge, the piston 2 will come to rest either before the port 11 is covered or after this has happened; in the latter case an elastic cushion will be trapped in the spaceto the right of port 11 and further compressed by the continued movement of the piston. In any case, the space to the right of the piston when it comes to rest will contain compressed elastic fluid which, acting as an elastic cushion, will cause the piston to return to compress a fresh combustible charge and also it may be to expel products fresh combustible charge in chamber 1 and ignition occurs to start a fresh cycle. The

' port 10 may be placed opposite port 11 so that the. piston passes both ports together and this insures an elastic cushion always being retained to the right of piston 2 under all conditions. It will be noticed that pro-.

viding the piston 2 does not pass port 11 for a given pressure at which elastic fluid is delivered, the shorter the stroke of the piston to the. right, the greater will be the amount of energy stored by the elastic fluid in chamber 9. Should the piston pass port 11 the longer the outward stroke of the piston after this period, the greater will be the amount of energy stored in chamber 9. For many reasons it is advisable that the energy stored for effecting or assisting the return stroke. shall remain constant within desired limits .and Fig. 1 shows an arrangement for this purpose in which a second piston 2 working in a cylinder 3" is connected with piston 2 by a rod 12 which passes through the cylinder end 13 fitted with suitable glands.

Piston 2 as in Fig. 1 works in a cylinder-'3,

and to the right of this piston is the chamber .9. Valves6 and 8 correspond in functions with those in Fig. 1 indicated by the same numbers; like valves 6 and 8 communicating with ports 10* and 11 respectively, are provided incylinder 3*. When piston 2 moves to the left elastic fluid may be drawn in behind it through valve 6*, and during the outward stroke of the piston elastic flui-d may be compressed to the right of piston 2 and some of it delivered through valve 8* in a similar manner to the elastic fluid which is compressed and delivered with respect to chamber 9. Valve 8 is situated close to the end 13 of chamber 9 whereas valve 8 is shown at a. considerable distance from the end 13 of chamber 9. Thus on the outward stroke piston 2 will pass port 11 before piston 2 reaches port 11 and as the pistons 2 and 2 move farther to the right the energy stored in the compressed elastic fluid in chamber 9 will be decreasing while that stored inchamber 9 will be increasing and the total energy stored in the two chambers 9 and 9 may therefore remain approximately constant within certain limits. Pismerely' closes the respective ports; in such cases during the, first part of the, outstroke' the pressure will not increase in that cyl- Under certain circumstances inder where the valves are omitted until the 4 piston closes the ports and modified workin -will result. Ports 14 are shown to the le t of piston 2, such that the' pressure will remain approximately. constant in the cylinder to the left of piston 2 until during the 'instroke the ports are closed by the piston.

A cushion' of elastic fluid will then be trapped between piston 2 and cylinder end 13 tostore energy and to limit the motion of the piston to the left.

Fig. 2' shows an arrangement similar to Fig. 1* in which a piston 2" is of larger diameter than the piston 2. These pistons work in their respective cylinders and may close the ports in both cylinders at the same time or it may be that the ports in the smaller cylinder areclosed either before or after the ports in the larger cylinder, the positions of which are selected, according to the desired pressures and manner of working.- In Fig. 2 no valves are shown-in connection .with ports 10 and 11, in which case elastic fluid will not be delivered under pressure by piston 2. If valves corresponding with 6 and 8 in Fig, 1 are added, elastic fluid may 'be taken in through port 10 and delivered through port 11. The elastic fluid compressed in the large cylinder may be delivered first to a reservoir and then to the smaller cylinder to be further compressed, which arrangement will constitute a 2-stage compressor.

In Fig. 3 an enlarged extension of the cylinder is provided fitted with a piston 15 shown in its extreme position to the left, further movement to the left being prevented by the shoulder due to the change of dithe delivery port 11 the pressure in space 9 will rise above the delivery pressure and then this pressure exerted upon piston 15 ameter, this shoulder being preferably promay cause the latter to move to the right as piston 2 moves in this direction. By this arrangement the ports 11 maybe placed quite close to the piston 15 and so that what is technically known as clearance space may be quite small and the output from the compressor increased. After piston 2 has passed ports 11 and when both pistons move to the right the pressure of the elastic fluid contained between them only increases as the pressure of the elastic fluid to the right of iston 15 increases, and as the initial volume of the elastic fluid to the right of piston 15 may be considerable the rise inpressure can be small although the requisite amount of energy is stored for the return stroke. Instead of providing a stop to arrest the motion of piston 15 to the left, as shown in Fig. 3, such motion may be arrested by asmall piston 17 (Fig. 3) working in a cylinder containing elastic fluid or liquid and acting as a dash-pot. This arrangement has the ad vantage of affording a ready means of controlling the position in which piston 15 is arrested and thus altering the clearance space. Y

Fig, 4 shows an arrangement in which a return stroke is effected or assisted by the pressure of elastic fluid which has been delivered past the delivery valve 8.- The outlet pipe 7 communicates with a chamber in which works a ram 17. On the outward stroke therefore work is done by compressing and delivering elastic fluid from chamber 9 and by forcing the ram 17 to the right against the delivery pressure of the elastic fluid acting upon it. The inward stroke occurs under the influence of the pressure of further reduced.

delivered elastic fluid upon ram 17 acting in conjunction with theexpanding elasticfluid in chamber 9. In such cases the cushion which is trapped when piston 2 passes port 11 need only act, as a cushion to insure safe working and may therefore be of smaller size than when it has to store the whole of the energy for the return stroke. Part of the reciprocating mass is shown in Fig. 4 as liquid retained between piston 2 and piston 18. It is not necessary that piston 18 should be of the same diameter as piston 2, and the pistons may be made of convenient sizes better to fulfil their respective functions. By providing an additional cylinder 19 into which the ram 17 will work .after having completed a desired portion of its outstroke, an additional elastic cushion can be trapped in the cylinder so soon as the ram 17 enters it. In such case the ports 11 may be situated closer still to the end 13 of chamber 9 and the volume of clearance therein still In extreme cases both valves 6 and 8 may be placed in the cylinder end 13. In F ig. 5 liquid is shown interposed bet-ween the elastic fluid and the solid piston. On the outward stroke the motion of the piston 2 is communicated to the mass of liquid in space 20 and elastic fluid is taken in and delivered from the chamber 9 above the liquid. 6 represents the valve for the intake of fresh elastic fluid and 8 is the nonreturn valve to prevent the return of elastic fluid to chamber 9. 21 is a valve which is normally open under the action of a spring or its equivalent but adapted to be closed when liquid attempts to pass it. Thus, on the outward stroke the liquid will first compress elastic fluid in chamber 9 and then deliver elastic fluid until valve 21 is closed by liquid. A cushion of elastic fluid will then be trapped above the liquid and further compressed by the continued outward motion of piston 2. In other respects the action of the apparatus is similar to that described With surface may be provided in contact with they elastic fluid compressed for the purpose of cooling it. By this device the compression may be more nearly isothermal.

Fig. 6 shows an arrangement suitable for compressing the elastic fluid in two stages. Elastic fluid is first compressed and delivered into a receiver 22, here shown provided with plates of the kind aforesaid. This receiver communicates with a cylinder in Which works a ram 23 connected with or attached to piston 2 and so that the pressure of the delivered elastic fluid in 22 assists the return stroke. On an outward stroke elastic fluid which has entered the cylinder behind the ram 23 on an inward stroke is further compressed and delivered through the non-return valve 24. Valve 25 is a non-return valve which prevents elastic'fluid which has entered the small cylinder in which ram 23 works from returning to the receiver.-

The arrangement shown in Fig. 7 works similarly to the last mentioned case, but a piston 23 is substituted for the ram23 of Fig. 6; also instead of pistons 2 and 23 compressing'the elastic fluid by direct contact therewith, masses of liquid are interposed between the piston and the elastic fluid. Also, the gases in combustion chamher 1 do not act directly upon piston 2, liquid being interposed between them, and the arrangement of valves and the operation pressor chamber shall cease at a diflerent time from the delivery from the other compressor chamber, an approximately constant amount of energy may be stored for effecting the return stroke irrespective of the length of stroke of the solid pistons in a similar manner to that described with reference to Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 represents an arrangement suitable for exhausting elastic fluid or pumping elastic fluid from a lower pressure than atmospheric pressure to atmospheric pressure. 1 is the combustion chamber and the outstroke of the piston 2 is toward the left. A piston 37 connected with piston 2 by rod 38 works in a cylinder fitted .with valves 6 and 8 for the admission and delivery respectively of elastic fluid, which is assumed tobe initially at a pressure lower than atmospheric. During the outward stroke of piston 2, fresh elastic fluid is drawn in to the compressor cylinder past valve 6. It is. assumed that the space to the left of piston 37 is open to the atmosphere, and thus as piston 2 moves to the left work is done against the excess of pressure to the left of piston 37 over that existing to the right, and when the work done on piston 2 by the expanding gases equals that performed by piston 37 against the difference in pressure just referred to, together with frictional losses, theconnected pistons come to rest. The inward stroke now begins and elastic fluid which has been taken in past valve 6 becomes compressed and delivered past valve 8. Also the combustible charge which has meanwhile been introduced into chamber 1 is compressed ready for igni-' turn of the pistons; or this end of the cylinder may be fitted with valves 6 and 8 for taking in, compressing and delivering elastic fluid. Another piston 39 may be provided and connected with pistons 37 and 2 by rod 40. The right hand end of the cylinder in which this piston works communicates with a reservoir 22 which is also inv communication with valve 6. It'is assumed for the moment that the spaces to the left of pistons 39 and 37 are both open to the atmosphere and that only valve 6 is in comcombustible charge in 1. By fitting either on the right or left hand side of piston 37 or on both'sides, and the final stage on the left hand side of piston 39.

In our copending application filed May 11, 1912, Serial No. 696,639, there have been described arrangements whereby the working of the apparatus may be'controlled by varying lengths of stroke, the velocities of liquid, and also safety devices. Thus, abnormal movements of the reciprocating masses have been utilized to control the apparatus so that it is once more brought back to its normal conditions of working. Also, should pressures in certain parts of the apparatus fail to be maintained then the ignition circuit may be opened or an exhaust valve maybe opened. These arrangements may be ,directly applied to the present invention.

In the specification just referred to it has been shown how the reciprocating masses, v I

may be linked together so that the various p1stons need not be co-axial and also how by altering the effective radius of oscillation of a reciprocating mass the rate of working of'the apparatus may be controlled. Such constructions are equally applicable to the present invention. As the arrangements work in a precisely similar manner it is not necessary to again describe them in this specification. Again it was explained in the said specification that the method of governing by inertia may be applied. This is equally applicable to the present invention. For example a part moved by the reciprocatingmasses may carry a displaceable part,

the inertia of which determines the degree of displacement and this latter may be used to operate suitable controlling devices. In anot er mode of governing, a device for wasting energy may be used which comes into operation should the amount of energy developed on a power stroke exceed a desired amount. For example, the exhaust of the burnt products may be throttled so that energy is wasted in driving out such burnt products from the combustion chamber or some of the combustible mixture which has been compressed.for a fresh ignition can be allowed to escape before ignition, thus reducing the available energy; again the exhaust may be opened at any stage of the expansion. The exhaust valve may also be held closed during the power stroke so that I burnt products are expanded below atmospheric pressure, and in such case the energy may be wasted by opening the valve at the end of the stroke or, if desired, the valve may only be opened when on the return stroke atmospheric pressure is again reached.

It is sometimes desirable that positively measured charges should be employed, and then the control device may operate on the charge measuring device so as to vary the amount of combustible mixture. Suitable charge measuring devices have been described in our previous specification.

Where part of the reciprocating masses consists of liquid the quantity of this liquid may be increased or decreased so as to alter the total weight of the reciprocating masses and a control mechanism may actuate a device for determining the quantity of reciprocating liquid which exists in the apparatus at any particular time and for varying such quantity.

What we claim is 1. An elastic fluid pump operating without a fly wheel, which comprises a power chamber having inlet and discharge valves, a play pipe in operative relationship therewith containing space for a reciprocating piston, means forming a space in advance of the piston for an elastic fluid with inlet and discharge valves, a piston adapted to be actuated in one direction, by the energy of a primary actuating medium to compress and deliver elastic fluid, and in the opposite direction, the return stroke, by elastic fluid pressure, and means comprising piston, cylinder, and discharge port suitably located with respect to the compression space beyond, whereby the total energy stored in the elastic fluid utilized for causing the return stroke is maintained approximately constant.

2. An elastic fluid pump operating without a fly wheel which comprises a power chamber having inlet. and discharge valves, a play pipe in operative relationship therewith containin space for a reciprocating piston, means orming a space in advance of the piston for an elastic fluid with inlet and discharge valves, a piston adapted to be actuated in one direction, by the energy of a primary actuating medium to compress and deliver elastic fluid, and in the opposite direction, the return stroke, by elastic fluid pressure, and means forming and utilizing an elastic cushion in a region other than that in which the primary actuating medium is delivered, for limiting the return stroke.

3. An elastic fluid pump" operating without a fly wheel, which comprises a power chamber having inlet and discharge valves, a play pipe in communication therewith contaming a space for a reciprocating mass and for an elastic fluid cushion, a mass having suflicient weight to enable it to absorb energy at the beginning of its movement and to give out energy toward the end thereof adapted to be actuated by a primary actuating medium acting directly thereon in said power chamber, and to act in cooperation with the elastic fluid cushion, to reciprocate, inlet and discharge valves for elastic fluid operating to admit and discharge the elastic fluid into and from the space in advance of said reciprocating mass, and means comprismg piston, cylinder, and discharge port suitably located with respect to the compression space beyond whereby the total energy stored in the elastic fluid utilized for causing the return stroke .is maintained appr'oxi- 80 mately constant.

HERBERT ALFRED HUMPHREY. WILLIAM JOSEPH RUSDELL. Witnesses: I

JOSEPH MILLARD, W. J. SKERTEN. 

